Please welcome
my Write On To Build On (our facebook writing group) pal Crystal Collier who is
here to share her journey into becoming a published author. *applause* Crystal
is a special writing friend who also homeschools too! *applause* She loves cheese
and chocolate which makes her super bodacious in my book! I’m chuffed she’s
visiting today. So without further ado, heeere’s Crystal.
Head over to Crystal's place and you can be entered to win. Now that's what I'm talkin' about!
Yay!
I’m chuffed to be here, Robyn. *setting cheese platter down* Have some
Muenster, eh?
I didn't know you were bringing snacks. RAD!
What inspired
you to begin writing for teens?
I
have always written. Always. And, I’ll never age a day beyond 16, in my head at
least. The goal has always been to write books I wish I’d had at that age:
adult worthy plotting/writing with PG content.
I know your
hubby has started his own publishing company called Raybourne Publishing and is
using MOONLESS as his model. Tell us about this path to publication.
I
planned to be published by the age of 16. Which I was, in a few literary
magazines. (Not quite what I’d expected.) While branching into theater, film
and music composition, it was hard to focus. I had several of my skits
performed and took awards for amateur film and acting, but in 2001 I finally
realized my dream of a completed novel. And queried. And got rejected. Fast forward
twelve years, writing a musical, seven novels, and three kids later… I was
receiving requests like crazy. After much research, my husband formulated a
unique social media-based publishing model, and forced me to sign with him.
Yes, forced. He’s learning with my material. *gulp*
How did your
novel change during the various drafts? What did you learn from this?
Some
people write dozens of books as they learn. I rewrote MOONLESS. Again. And
again. And again. It’s seriously been through about 200 drafts, so can we leave
it at that?
I feel your
pain, pal. *ahem*
If you gave
one of your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they
say?
STOP
TORTURING US. *wink*
What books
have influenced your writing?
…This
is a very unfair question. Do you know how much I read? My Friend the Monster,
Dealing with Dragons, Odd Thomas, The Silicone Mage Trilogy, Another Fine Myth,
A Swiftly Tilting Planet, The Mortal Instruments, Twilight, Harry Potter, The
Tiger’s Curse series, Indian in the Cupboard, Maniac Magee, The Magician’s
Nephew, Unenchanted, Another Fine Myth, Castle in the Attic…and innumerable
others.
Is there an
Author that you would really like to meet? (Besides me, that is.) *wink* *wink*
Robyn,
meeting you would be a dream come true! (What more do I need?) I would love to
come face to face with Chanda Hahn, Dean Koontz, and ANY of the hosts from
WriteOnCon. (I
love the way you think!)
Who designed
the cover of your book?
My
amazing husband. He’s a tech geek of a hundred backgrounds. One of them just
happens to be graphic design. And business. And marketing.
WOWOW! He’s gotta
be made of coolness!
An early
childhood memory.
How
about my first story dream? I was 3. A giant fiery ball had been sweeping
across the USA. We knew it was coming, but didn’t have much time to act. It
engulfed the field across from our house as we fled out the back door, hiked up
and crossed the Rocky Mountains, and found ourselves safely in China.
WOW, you dream big girlfriend! :-)
Do you ever
write in your PJ’s?
Always.
Vanilla or
chocolate ice-cream?
Yes.
And cheese on the side. =)
Where and when
do you prefer to do your writing?
Anytime,
anywhere, as long as I have a computer.
Your thoughts
on receiving book reviews - the good and the bad.
A good book review is like Christmas morning, every time. Who
wouldn’t love that? I haven’t had a bad one yet. *gulp* But I’ve had those responses
from critique partners or beta readers. They’re hard to take, but I think we
have to see them as motivation to grow. Better yet, we have to extrapolate the
good, and leave the rest behind.
Crystal,
thank you for stopping by on your whirlwind (I love saying that) tour. I hope it’s everything you
want it to be and more! Have some cheese while you read my review of your book. :-)
HTML
Title:
Moonless
Author:
Crystal Collier
Publisher:
Raybourne Publishing
Series:
Maiden of Time #1
Publication:
November 13th, 2013
Category:
Young Adult (YA)
Genre:
Historical Paranormal
Log
Line: Alexia must choose safety and an arranged marriage, or true love and
being hunted by the Soulless every moonless night.
Do
I have your attention with that logline? I thought so!
Now
it’s time for my review peeps!
I thoroughly enjoyed Moonless. It was at times gut wrenching and at other times mysterious. That's the makings of a great story. I fell in love with Crystals characters. All of them! She made me believe I knew them. She made me believe I was right beside them as the story unfolded. That's what it's all about folks! As I was pulled into the story world, I felt myself wanting to learn more and more about Alexia's life. In other words, YOU CANNOT PUT IT DOWN. I tried. But I just kept coming back for more. Until the family had to make do without me for a time. :-)
Crystal does a great job of characterization (deep people, deep) and she also is an expert at subplots. The story wouldn't be the same without her descriptions either. They were powerful and vibrant. She understands the art of painting pictures with her words. You'll worry about Alexia (trying not to be a spoiler here) and you'll smile too. You will feel as though you're watching the story unfold from a window. It's that real, y'all. You want action? It's here. You want a little romance? It's here! I'm so proud of Crystal and the writer she's become. (I sound like her mommy) I'll be there to read the next one for sure. I'm a card carrying member of the Crystal Collier fan club. Go buy the book. You will not be disappointed. You know you can trust me. :-) Oh, and watch out for the soulless on those moonless nights!
Here's the rest of the tour y'all.
November 18
Laurel
Garver: How Crystal develops Characters
Gwen Gardner: Truth or Lie
Carrie Butler: Truth or Lie
Natalie Aguirre: Author Interview
& Giveaway
November 19
Christine
Rains: Excerpt #4
Mary Waibel: Character Interview
with Kiren
Bethany Kaczmarek: Character
Interview with Miles
November 20
Scribbleweed: Showing VS
Telling
Ellie
Garratt: Character Interview with Kiren
Aldrea
Alien: Top Ten Reasons to Eat Cheese
November 21
Meradeth
Houston: Character Interview with Kiren
Mary Pax: Guest Post
Ashley
Nixon: Excerpt #6
November 22
Elizabeth Seckman: Truth or Lie
Melanie Crouse: Review
Medeia Sharif: Excerpt #5
Nicole Zoltack: Truth or Lie
November 23
Jessie Harrell:
Excerpt #6
Hart Johnson: The Naked Cheese
November 24
TC Mckee: Review
E.J. Wesley: Five Things to Be
Grateful For—Debut Author Edition
November 25
Michelle Wallace: Excerpt #2
Clare Dugmore: Excerpt #7 &
Truth or Lie
November 26
Elise Fallson: Excerpt #7
Larissa Hardesty: Top Ten—You Know
You Live in Florida When
November 27
Julie
Musil: Author Interview
November 28
Suzanne
Furness: Excerpt #8
Sharon Johnston: Review
Katharina Gerlach: Author Interview
November 29
Julie
Flanders: Excerpt #5
Misha Gericke: Where Moonless Came
From
November 30
Sherry
Auger: Review
Chrys Fey: Excerpt #8